The Empress
by Inu-Roses
Summary: Rei wants nothing to do with power, while its all Sesshomaru can think about. So how is it she ends up as the Inu Empress, loaded with power? While all he gets is a whinny mate-to-be? He's not about to let his chance at power pass him up!
1. REI

**The Empress**

**Chapter One: Rei **

**Rated M ;)**

**I don't own Inuyasha, cause if I did, the show would be like the story below you. Well maybe…**

A large palanquin with six large male inu demon servants carrying it moved at a fast pace through the thick forest of the Western Territories. The males were sweating and tired but urgency and loyalty to the Inu Empress kept them going. They had been traveling for at least five days none stop to reach the western lord, Inutaisho.

The Empress inside the palanquin sat nervously on a massive pile of crimson and golden cushions. She wore a high class juni-hito with fourteen layers of slivers, golds, and reds. The outer layer was a deep golden wheat color and covered it beautiful white flowers. Her kind, but wise, eyes were violet, her skin was faire and porcelain. Her dark wavy tresses were held together at the base of her neck by a ribbon, on the top of her head was a headdress in the shape of a sun, it's rays pointing in each cardinal direction in coronation to the divined lands of Japan.

She sighed quietly so that her three ladies-in-waiting wouldn't hear her, even with their demon hearing. It would do no good to upset them, Kazuko was already close to tears. '_Poor thing,' _Nyokotori thought looking at the young yellow haired inu.

"My Lady is everything alright?" Inuhana asked her, worry laced in her voice. Inuhana was her most loyal retainer and Nyokotori was close to making her the next in line for the throne. She had been with her since the day Nyokotori had been chosen as Empress.

"Yes everything is fine, my dear, just fine." Nyokotori gave her a small smile while grasping Inuhana's hand in her own.

"Are you sure my lady?" Inuhana asked. She wanted to gag, how such a weak demon could be chosen as Empress was beyond her. Nyokotori was pathetic and stupid in her opinion. Japan could use a much more dependable demon to be Empress, someone like her who had the guts and beauty to rule. Unlike Nyokotori who was so soft and whose beauty was hardly present.

Inuhana placed a well faked smile on her own face and patted the back of the Empress's hand with her free one. "You shouldn't push yourself so much, it would be a great misfortune if you were to turn ill."

"I'll shall be fine, Inuhana. Please do not worry." _'Trust me I won't!' _Inuhana thought maliciously. Just a few more moments and this weak demon would be dead by her hands. Just a few more minutes before she would be ruler! She could practically taste victory on her tongue.

"My lady, how soon till we reach the western palace?" Kazuko asked, her voice shaking with panic and fear. Another weak creature that Inuhana wished to end. _'I'm surrounded by weaklings!'_

"Kazuko-chan do not bother the Empress with moronic questions!" Came the stern voice of the third lady-in-waiting, Aoi. She stood out in crowds with her odd blue hair and the fact that she was as tall as most inu males. She was the most disciplined of the three ladies and didn't stand for anything, not even from the Empress.

"It's alright Aoi, she's just curious and tired. We should be there within a few days, my darling." Nyokotori answered the younger inu, patting her knee. Kazuko relaxed slightly and the smell of her fear faded somewhat.

Aoi huffed, "My lady she needs to learn that not very question she has needs to be worded."

"Why not? Questions can be vital in understanding the world around you. If you did not asked questions how would you ever learn?" The Empress turned her gaze to Aoi.

"Simple. You listen to what you're told and learn through watching and hearing." Aoi crossed her arms, her back was up right.

"Well then I see this is not something we agree upon."

"It would seem so."

Inuhana forced herself not to roll her eyes at the two. How childish they were. Who cared about what Kazuko did? She was annoying, crying and whining to the Empress like some sniveling pup. Aoi was good to put her in her place.

Kazuko was quiet through the conversation, not wanting to get reprimanded again by Aoi. It was the fifth time today and she was sure it wasn't the end either. Aoi would find something else to yell at her for. She just wanted to disappear into the floor boards and never return.

Kazuko's head snapped up as the sudden piercing noise of a horn rang in the air. "What was that?"

The palanquin stopped just as the horn dyed, Kazuko whipped her head around looking back and forth between her companions. Aoi had a look on her face that was highly annoyed like usual, her lady's face was full of confusion, Inuhana's masked the Empress'.

"I shall go and see as to what the problem is." Aoi stated as she made her way out the palanquin. As soon as she was gone Inuhana turned to the Empress. Blood spewed forth covering Kazuko with it's sick warmth. She screamed and tried to wipe her lady's blood off her face. Inuhana stood, her hand dripping with the blood of the dying Empress, and stalked toward Kazuko.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment, Kazuko dear." Inuhana laughed a cruel and terrible laugh while her prey stared at her in horror.

"Why? Why did you do this?" Kazuko shrieked at her, tears leaked out of her eyes. She was sobbing so hard she practically choked on them.

Inuhana laughed again, "You never were very bright, poor thing. Not to worry this well all end soon." She grabbed the young demon by the throat and slowly began to choke the life from her.

Rei followed the scent of blood, usually she would have ignored it but from the smell there was a massive amount of bloodshed somewhere near here. She couldn't let her pack setup so close to this place if there was some type of mass murder happening so near. She had too much to deal with already without the worry of a killer being added to that. She sighed and continued making her way through the dense forest.

She came upon the clearing and gasped at the horror before her. She had seen lots of things on her travels, but some things just weren't meant for one to get use to. Bodies lay every, well body pieces really. Blood soaked the area so much not even animals wanted to be near here. Not that she blamed them. She covered her sensitive nose with her hand and tired not to throw up.

"From the smell this happened a few hours ago," Rei mumbled to herself. She walked closer to the carnage, stepping over legs and arms, hands and even over a male's gentiles. "Ew!" She carefully avoided looking at that.

'_From the looks of it, this wasn't a battle.' _Rei thought as she moved closer to the damaged palanquin, it was in pretty bad shape. It had been demolished by a large demon from the looks of it. She looked inside and grimaced again. A poor young inu demon was sitting along the wall, a wall that had her blood spattered all over it. There was blood on her face, but Rei could smell that it didn't belong to her. The inu had marks on her neck, too. Her death had obviously not been quick and painless. _'Poor thing, she was so young.'_

"W…wh..whose..there," came a weak and hoarse voice.

Rei squealed in surprise, "What the fuck!" She ran to the other side of the palanquin and spotted a very well dressed female inu demon. She ran to the demon's side, the inu was lying on her stomach. From the drag marks in the dirt, Rei bet that the female had dragged herself over here.

"Hey, you still breathing?" Rei asked poking the demon on her back. "You ain't dead are ya?"

The female laughed quiet before a coughing fit consumed her. "Yes….I'm..still…alive." Her breathing was labored and her voice was heavy with pain. The stench of death was on her, she didn't have much longer.

Rei rolled her over, "Holy fuck! Empress! That you?"

"Unfortunately…" The Empress chuckled, what an interesting demon.

"Hey now this ain't the time to crack jokes. What the hell happened?" Rei cradled the dying Empress's head on the crook on her arm.

"That…is not important…what is important….is that I am going to give you a gift. You must promise me…that you will right what has been wronged." Nyokotori held Rei's gaze with her own.

"Sure whatever you want, Empress." Rei replied quickly. She had learned over the years to respect the wish of the dying or dead.

"You…must take the throne and rule the inu yōkai….with compassion...and strength." Nyokotori reached her hand up to touch the other demon's forehead. A bright light shown as her fingers connected with Rei's skin. It was over quickly, the Empress's hand dropped to the ground lifeless.

"Wait! Don't die! Tell me what the hell you meant! Throne? What throne?" Rei began to shake the dead demon's body as if it would bring her back to life. Pain slammed into her body suddenly, knocking the air out of her. She collapsed to the side, leaning on her forearms. She tried to take in a breath and pain seared at her throat like fire.

Rei gasped falling to her sides and clutched her throat. She rolled on to her back, pressure was building her in head. She wanted to scream, but the pain made it impossible. '_What's happening to me, am I dying?'_

Her eye lids flickered, darkness was swimming in her eyes. She needed to take a breath of air or she was going to pass out and possible even die. Through clenched teeth she sucked in one pain filled breath of air and the world went black.

Sesshōmaru stalked down the polished hallways of the western palace. The hallway was bright with the afternoon sun that poured in from the open windows. It's arched, pointed ceiling allowed the hallway to fill with sweet spring air. None of which Sesshōmaru cared about, he was on the war path today.

His ridiculous father had the nerve to pair _him _with some annoying female, whose only interest probably was getting wealth and power. She probably wasn't all that bright either. Sesshōmaru growled under his breath harshly. This wouldn't do at all. Though, maybe he could convince his father to take this female as another mate. He had two already, Sesshōmaru doubted he would be disagreeable to that.

'_Mother might kill me. She was upset enough about Father taking another mate the first time was enough to sleep with his general and even get with child during that act.' _He had no doubts that his mother would lose all sanity she had left if his father were to mate again. '_Best not to go that route,' _he though with a slight sigh.

Servants jump out of his way, his golden eyes flashed dangerously. They all knew what was happening and as much as they loved their lord, they would have done anything to keep the Inutaisho from doing this. Sesshōmaru didn't like to be messed with and his father was close to getting a one way trip into hell.

Sesshōmaru grabbed a female servant by the arm, "Where is my father?" His voice was cold and the poor demon was shaking so bad that only his grip on her kept her standing.

"I..I…I.." She stammered, she kept her eyes on the ground.

"Out with it!" Sesshōmaru shook her. She began to cry pitifully. Sesshoumaru held in the urge to roll his eyes. Females.

"I don't know where he is." She managed to say through her sobs. Sesshoumaru released her without a word and walked away. '_Useless female.'_

"Sesshōmaru leave the poor servants alone, you'll be the death of them." Sesshōmaru turned to look at his elder brother Hōkō. Sesshōmaru had never really liked his brother all that much, he was the studious type that was appalled by violence. Unlike Sesshōmaru, whose every fiber called to be cruel and distant.

"They are easily replaced," he stated quickly as he walked down the hall.

"If you're looking for Father, I would try outside." With that Hōkō left, leaving Sesshōmaru very irritated. The gardens were four stories below him. With a sharp turn Sesshōmaru jumped out of one of the windows to find his father.

"Sesshōmaru, what are you doing?" His father called to him as he landed lightly on the ground. Sesshōmaru flashed him a look that could stop a human's heart.

"You dare to pair me with some useless female?" Sesshōmaru demanded hotly as he made his way to his father.

"Now, Sesshōmaru you fought for the title of the heir with your brother, so you must follow the ways of your actions. Which, at the moment call for you to be mated. Besides it is much easier to find a mate now before you are lord, than after." Tōga said cheerily. Having pups around again would be most welcome, to him anyway.

Sesshōmaru seethed silently in front of his father, _'I did not ask for this!'_ "I do not wished to be mated, Father! Females are useless creatures that will only hold me back."

" Hold you from what my son? Supreme conquest?" Tōga rolled his eyes upward. "Sesshōmaru, when will you learn that power is not everything?"

Sesshōmaru opened his mouth to reply to the old yōkai when some of the soldiers began to yell. One inu solider, who was too weak to be able maintain human form, ran over to them. "My Lord, on our rounds we found the Empress's palanquin destroyed and blood covering the area."

Tōga's eyes narrowed in confusion, "Where there any survivors?"

"Just one my Lord," he stated.

The Inutaisho nodded, "Take me to them."

"Right away," the solider said bowing, before leading the way.

Well? What do you think? Do we like Rei? Cause I like her a lot, she's fairly lively. So tell me what you think of this new story, leave lots of reviews and tell me you love me and all that jazz. Ask questions if you're confused over certain parts and I'll try to clear up any misunderstandings and fix them!

So long,

Inu-roses


	2. Meetings of Fate

**The Empress**

**Chapter Two: Meetings of Fate**

**Rated M ;)**

**I don't own Inuyasha, cause if I did, the show would be like the story below you. Well maybe…**

Sesshōmaru followed after his father, curiosity getting the better of him. From what the solider was saying, this survivor had managed to with stand an ambush from an unknown enemy, which could mean that this yōkai was either strong or they were lucky. Either way Sesshōmaru wanted to meet this 'survivor'.

If he was strong he might make for a good sparring partner. The soldiers here weren't of much use to Sesshōmaru now, these humanoid-inus. Sure they could walk and talk, but they couldn't even hold a human form. They looked like human sized household dogs that walked on their back legs. _'They are almost as useless as females.'_

"What about the Empress? Did she not survivor?" Tōga asked, interrupting Sesshōmaru's thoughts.

"No, my Lord, she did not survivor the attack. We believe the survivor was her body guard. They were found lying next to each other." The yōkai soldier answered as he led them to the medical wing.

"Oh so our survivor is a fighter," Tōga mused. _'Too bad it wasn't a female that survivor,'_ he mused to himself.

"They were armed with a sword and fairly thick demonic armor." The soldier said stopping outside the healer's door. He stepped to the side so that he could open the door and not be in the way.

"How badly were they injured?"

"We don't know yet, my Lord. With all the blood it was hard to tell how bad her injuries were."

"Her?" Both Tōga and Sesshōmaru asked shock evident on their faces.

"Forgive me my Lord. Did I fail to mention the survivor was female?" The solider bowed at the waist toward his lord in apology.

"No, do not apologize. It is not your job to inform me of a survivor's gender," Tōga said smiling as the soldier slide open the shoji door. Okuninushi, the healer, stood over a pain ridden female. She was squirming around clutching at the blankets, her pretty face was scrunched in pain.

"Ah, my Lord," Okuninushi greeted him with a bow, "have you come to check on my patient?" Okuninushi was Tōga's newest healer, though unlike most of Tōga's pack he had black hair. He was something of a novelty here.

"Yes, I had hoped to speak with her." A frown set into his face, he wasn't sure this female was going to make it.

"Pathetic," Sesshōmaru stated from behind him, before leaving in a swish of cloth. Tōga sighed at his actions.

"What's wrong with her," Tōga asked as she groaned in more pain.

"I'm not sure. There's nothing wrong with her on the outside," Okuninushi sighed, "she boiling up and shivering at the same time. It doesn't make any sense."

Tōga's frowned deepened, this female was their only led of what had happened to the Empress. This would put aside they danger of Chūbu attacking, but it could also mean rivalry to get her vacant throne. _'This could cause a civil war,'_ Tōga thought sourly. _'Though Sesshōmaru might enjoy that.'_

"Wh…," the voice of the survivor came out in a low whisper. Both males whipped their heads toward her. Okuninushi was by her side in seconds, his assistants running around in panic to get cool water for their patient.

"What is it?" Okuninushi put his ear next to her mouth.

"Where…," was all she could get out, before she withered around in pain.

"Where are you?" At her slight nod, Okuninushi answered, "You are at the Western Palace. You are safe here, don't worry." He grasped her hand and held on to it as she cried out loudly from the pain. "Tell me, where is the pain coming from? Where are you hurt?"

She didn't answer, instead she began to scream. "What's happening to her?" Tōga shouted over her screams.

"I don't know! You, hand me that towel! Get some water! Quickly!" Okuninushi shouted out orders as fast as he could. Tōga stepped to the step to stay out of their way.

Okuninushi wanted to pass out, unlike his lord he was a middle-class yōkai which meant he didn't even have a mokomoko of any sort. Meaning that sleep was a necessity he needed and this damn female was keeping him up at all hours.

Ever since she had arrived three days ago he had been caring for her and she had let to tell them anything or heal. They had learned her name was Rei, and that was it. _'So much for all my hard work,'_ he thought sourly as he replaced the cloth on her forehead. She was sweating again, which to him meant nothing. Her fever would break for a few moments then her temperature would drop and she would start shivering. _'At least the screaming has stopped.' _

"Has there been any news from the Imperial Palace?" Tōga asked from his makeshift study in the corner of the medical room. He had insisted that he stay here in case she woke up.

"No, my Lord," answered the inu solider. He was a low-class inu, which meant he looked like some over grown dog that walked on two legs. His eyes were the signature blue pupils with blood red surrounding it. They were the most common of all the inu classes, and to be honest they freaked him out a bit. The way they looked just got under his skin.

_'I hope he leaves soon,'_ Okuninushi thought as he watched the transaction from the corner of his gold eye.

"That is a shame, have the other Lords responded yet?" Tōga was gaining a headache quickly. No one seemed to know what was going on and their only witness was bedridden. He had informed the other Lords and the Imperial Court about what had happened. He had hoped they might have some news or know where the other two ladies-in-waiting had gone. The youngest had been slaughtered in the attack along with the Empress, the others were missing currently.

"The Lords of Hokkaido and Kantō have replied to your message, they both wish to send someone from their courts to check out the situation and on the survivor. The other seven have yet to send word of any kind."

"Damn," Tōga whispered harshly. He needed this to be resolved quickly. He sighed before dismissing his solider.

"Troubles my Lord?" Okuninushi asked with mockery in his tone. He had never seen the Inutaisho this way before and this moment was too precious to pass up.

Tōga glared at the dark-haired inu, "It would be best if you watched yourself." Okuninushi chortled at that.

"Please my Lord, we both know that threat isn't worth much."

Tōga opened his mouth to retorted when the female, Rei, popped up. Okuninushi cried out in surprise, "What the hell?"

She turned toward them at Okuninushi shouting, her bright green eyes narrowed. She jumped up from her bedding and reached for the sword that was no longer there. Her startled gaze flew to her hip to see that both her armor and weapon weren't there anymore. In fact they were sitting next to Tōga.

"Wait, please relax there is no harm here," Tōga said with his hand up as he slowly moved toward her. She snickered at him, taking him back a bit before she jumped at him reaching for her sword. Tōga caught her around the waist, but her momentum sent them spinning. She threw him off of her and he hit the ground, landing between her and her things.

Rei cursed under her breath, there wasn't any way she could get to her armor and sword at the moment. That male was too strong for her at the moment. She staggered toward the door only to have the black-haired inu move her in way. He smelled of herbs and fear, this male wasn't a fighter. "Move and I won't cut your pretty face," she threatened, her voice was steel.

He dropped over to the side and out of her way. She flew out of the door, staggering into the wall across the doorway. _'Ouch!'_ Her body was heavy and sluggish, her vision swam somewhat. She took a deep breath, then made her way quickly down the hall.

She turned the corner and meet cold, hard steel of armor. She looked up to see gold eyes just as cold. "Well hey good looking, I was looking for a way out of here. A little help?" She batted her eyes up at him, only to have him scowl at her. "No? Whatever, then," she said moving around him quickly to make her get away. A grip of iron around the back of her neck stopped her. _'Why is arrogant little…!'_

"Cease this useless squirming," Sesshōmaru ordered to the female he had a hold of. She tried to twist out of his grasp, but it was of no use. He was too strong for her, she was no-.

Rei grabbed the hand that had her and ripped it away from her. She kicked the other yōkai backwards in the stomach before sprinting down the hall, despite her wobbly legs. She could feel his yōki rising angrily from behind her. He wasn't as powerful as the male she had fought in that room, but he was strong none the less.

_'Damn, how the hell do I get out of here!' _As she turned the corner she felt the male gaining on her quickly. She opened the doors nearest to her and jumped into the room, before hiding her yōki. She breathed a breath of relief as the other yōkai's yōki faded.

"Um…"

Rei whipped her head to look behind her and came eye to eye with confused orange eyes. She realized she had enter the bathing area and the female before her was naked. They stared at each for a few moments before the other female let out a scream that could have woken the dead. _'Damn it all to hell!'_ Rei thought as she raced out of the bathroom and back into the hallway, only to collide with hard steel. Rei knocked them both to the ground.

"Ow…that hurt…," She mumbled as she rubbed her forehead. A low growl brought her back to reality, "Eep!" She jumped off the male she had run over, only to realize it was the yōkai she had been hiding from. _'Well ain't this the shits.'_

"Female, explain to this Sesshōmaru, why you are being a nuisance," the male regarded her, his deep voice rumbling throughout her body. _'What a nice voice, wouldn't mind having that whisper to me!'_

Rei gaze went slack as she began to fantasize about the male in front of her. Sesshōmaru watched with displeasure as this incompetent female before him continued to ignore him. He was about to show her a lesson which she would remember for the rest of her life, when his father interrupted him.

"Ah! Sesshōmaru nice work on catching our runaway," Tōga smiled as he grabbed the daydreaming female.

"Huh?" Rei sputtered unintelligently as she was thrown over someone shoulder, "What the fuck? Lemme go!" She struggled against him, but she felt sleepy and tired from all that running from earlier, her body still not fully back to normal.

"Hush you!" Okuninushi said from beside her head.

"Piss off!" Rei shouted swiping lazily at him. He dodged and stuck his tongue out at her when he was a safe distance away. Sesshōmaru glared at the both of them and Tōga merrily chuckled at them.

"Now shall we make our way back to the room?" Tōga asked as he turned and headed back to the medical wing of his castle.

**So there you have it chapter two! I thought it was a fairly good chapter, though it moved a little slowly but not to worry everything will start moving soon. More characters will come into play and set off the story. **

**Here are some things about the story to help you, yes I am using the real providences of Japan and no they aren't the ancient ones, they are the ones from today. It was too much work to found out their names back in the Sengoku Jidai. I will list the names of the providences and what they mean. For more info you'll have to look it up. ^-^**

** Hokkaido-nothern sea**

**Tōhoku- northeast**

**Kantō- east of the barrier **

**Ch****ūbu- central **

**Kansai- Southern central**

**Ch****ūgoku- west**

**Shikoku- four provinces **

**Kyushu-nine provinces**

**Okinawa- southwestern **


	3. Disaster

**The Empress**

**Chapter Three: Disaster**

**Rated M ;)**

**I don't own Inuyasha, cause if I did, the show would be like the story below you. Well maybe…**

**I want to say thank you to those who reviewed on this story! I LOVE YOU!**

Rei sighed for the fifth time, ever since her little escape trick three days ago she couldn't move. Her whole body had gone on some sort of lock down, Okuninushi, the little bastard was what she was calling him, had said it was probably because she had exerted herself after the weird fever she had had. _'Damn the Empress, this is her fucking fault!'_

Ever since the Empress had touched her forehead she had suddenly lost control of her own body. It wasn't a feeling she enjoyed at all. The thing she could do was blow on some hair that got in her face sometimes. "This is so boring!"

"Are you still whining?" Okuninushi asked as he entered her room. They had moved her from the medical wing to one of the guest rooms that the Inutaisho had. "This is your fault, you know."

Rei rolled her eyes over in his direction to glare at him. "Shut up, would ya!" They hadn't been the best of pals since her arrival, Rei thought it might have to do with her threatening him. _'Big baby,'_ she thought with a smirk.

"The lords from other lands have sent someone from their courts to have a word with you."

Rei huffed, "I already told you, she was dead when I found. I don't know who or what killed her and attack her group." When they had captured her after her run, they had fired rapid questions at her, she had told them what she knew except for the part where the Empress had said something about a throne.

She still wasn't sure what it meant and she didn't need some assholes sticking their noses in were they didn't belong. _'I need to get back to Kagome and the others,'_ her brows creased in thought. She had been here for six days already they were probably worried sick.

"Even so they would still like to speak with you, so suck it up," Okuninushi said as sat down next to her bedding. "Here drink this," he put a saucer of broth to her lips, letting her sipped on it slowly. "Stop glaring at me or I'll pour it on you."

"Hmph!"

"Tch," Okuninushi found he liked her better when she was sleeping then when she was awake. She was nothing but rude and vulgar, she talked and acted like a male! He had never seen a female with so little regard to acting like, well, a female.

"Hey bastard," Rei said when he move the cup, "when do you think I'll be able to leave?"

"It could be any number of days, why do you ask?" He was taken back a little by her question.

"No reason," Rei said staring up at the ceiling, while the room was beautiful with its rice paper walls decorated, she didn't find it much of a comfort. She wanted open skies and the comfort of her pack. _'Heh, if Kagome saw me like this she'd think I'd gone soft.' _

"Your scent is overbearing," said a cold voice from the doorway. Rei's eyes darted over straining to see the white clad figure in the doorway. She growled low in her throat, this guy really grated her nerves. She had even her arms back she would take this bastard out.

"What'd ya want, asshole?" She bit out at him, he glared at her like usual. It was probably the only thing she'd ever seen him do.

"Bitch, watch your tongue or I'll cut it out," Sesshōmaru threatened her with a growl of his own. This female irked him beyond the norm, he'd never met any female like her. While she was annoying, she was intelligent despite her language. _'Interesting female,'_ he found himself thinking.

"Don't tell me you came just to see my pretty face," Rei barked out a laugh at her own joke. 'That would be something…'

"Don't be ridiculous," Sesshōmaru with a snort, "Okuninushi, Father wishes to see you." He glared at the weaker yōkai, who gulped before fleeing from the room, Sesshōmaru followed after him.

"Great now it's boring again," Rei sighed, again. _'Am I ever gonna get out of here?'_

"Uhhh…Do….do you have…a moment," a voice asked, once again from the doorway. Rei shrank back a little, it was the female whose bath she had interrupted three days ago. It wasn't something Rei liked to think about, now if the one in the bath had been a male, well that was a different story. Rei smiled to herself, males were just her weakness.

"Ummm…," the other female shifted nervously, biting at her lip.

'_Oh right,'_ Rei snapped back to the present. "Yeah, I've got time. Ain't like I can go anywhere, anyway," she said tersely.

The female walked over to Rei and sated down where Okuninushi had been sitting before. Rei noticed it wasn't only her orange eyes that were odd, the moon marking on her forehead was odd too. It was a peach color, light and soft. Rei had a thought it the color fit this yōkai well. "What you wanted to talk about?"

"Uhh…well…you see…I wondered if…if maybe," the female was struggling immensely with her words and Rei felt a little sorry for her. She obviously didn't have make self confidence.

"How bout you start with yer name," Rei suggested with a small grin.

The other female blushed and dropped her gaze, "Forgive me…I'm Anzu."

"I'm Rei, nice to meet ya!" Rei said cheerily, with a grin showing her teeth. She kinda found it cute that Anzu was so shy and nervous. _'I don't think I've ever met a female like her before!'_

Anzu smiled back at Rei a little, her face still red. Rei laughed, "How about you try and ask yer question now."

"Oh…right…," Anzu blushed some more, before saying, "I wondered if…maybe you were…" She lowered her gaze and went quiet for a moment, Rei considered telling her to take a break when the female blurted out, "Are you Sesshōmaru-onii-sama's mate-to-be!"

"Wha? Huh?" Rei looked around the room wildly, "Where the fuck did that come from?"

"Oh…so you're not…," Anzu looked at the ground embarrassment clear as day on her sweet face. "Forgive me…I'll go now."

She turned leave when Rei called out to her, "Where the hell ya going? Come back here!" Anzu jumped in surprise and sat back down immediately. "Tell me where the hell you got that question from?"

"Well, Sesshōmaru-onii-sama's father, my lord, betrothed him to a female not too long ago," Anzu looked at her hands in her lap. "No one knows who it is, or when she is coming."

"So you thought I could be her," Rei said finishing Anzu's thoughts. "Well no worries, I ain't gonna be mated to some asshole like that," Rei said with a 'hmph!'.

"Oh! Rei-sama please don't talk of Sesshōmari-onii-sama that way. He may not look it, but he can be very kind." Anzu smiled sweetly at Rei, who felt her soul was escaping.

"I think we're talking about two different yōkai here," Rei said blankly.

"Anzu," Sesshōmaru said as he reentered Rei's room, "what are you doing here? Mother is looking for you."

"Ah! Coming Sesshōmaru-onii-sama," Anzu said perking up at his voice. She bowed good-bye to Rei before taking off.

Rei gave Sesshōmaru a blank look, "She's got one bad brother complex."

Sesshōmaru snorted lightly before leaving Rei all alone again.

"I think I'm just gonna go to sleep."

Over the past few days as Rei recovered slowly from being unable to move, Anzu was a constant companion. They found that they had many things in common much to the disbelief of everyone else. Anzu would bring Rei flowers and other things from outdoors, and Rei would tell her stories of places she had been to and what she had seen. Though sometimes Anzu would sit in Rei's room sowing and they would be silent, lost in their own thoughts.

"Milord, do you think it's safe to let Anzu socialize with that ruffian?" One of Tōga's advisers had asked one day.

"I do not see any harm in this," Tōga has answered. "Besides, this is good for her." _'If she hinds behind Sesshōmaru's shadow for much longer she'll never grow.'_

Most thought that Tōga didn't care much for Anzu, for the fact that she was the result of his first mate's coupling with another male, but in truth Tōga loved her. It was her inability to socialize that kept them apart. Constant harassment from other because of her heritage had left her very weak hearted, which was why she clung to Sesshōmaru the way she did.

'_Yes, this is for the best.'_

"Rei-chan, what do you think?" Anzu asked holding up a long obi she had been embroiling for the past six after her and Rei's encounter. It was green with a large inu yōkai sewn into it at one of the corners.

"That's pretty good! Where'd you learn to sow like this?" Rei asked running her fingers lightly over the pattern. "Did you make it for Onii-chan?" Rei had begun to call Sesshōmaru after she had meant Anzu. It make him growl at her, which she found amusing. It was better than getting his usual scowling.

Anzu shook her head and laid the obi on Rei's lap, "Green's your favorite color, right?"

Rei looked at Anzu in shock, "For me? Aw, ya didn't have to do that!" Rei smiled widely and loosely tied it around her waist. Well she was recovering, her still didn't have access to her lower body yet and too much movement caused her pain.

"I'm glad you like, Rei-chan!" Anzu smiled at her and retied the knot.

"Thanks, so what's your next project?" Rei asked squirming a little as she tried to tenderly shift into a more comfortable sitting position, though having to lean against a wall was making it hard.

"I thought I would make one for your friend, Kagome-san." Anzu was the who had convinced Rei to telling Tōga that she had a pack waiting for her, which Rei had been reluctant about. Letting others know where your pack was, was something inus didn't do, but Anzu had convinced Rei that it was safe. Tōga had even let her send a message by hawk secretly so that Kagome and the other wouldn't have to worry about her. "You can give it to her as a gift when you go back."

Rei smiled lightly at the silver-haired inu, "I think she would like that. What color you gonna use?"

"Hmm, pink!" Anzu said brightly.

Rei laughed, "Kagome-chan will like that. Orange, too she likes orange."

"What about pink with an orange flower on it?" Anzu asked as she searched through her threads for colors.

"That screams Kagome," Rei said with a light laugh. She was going to miss Anzu when she left here. They had become such fast friends, though it still shocked Rei that they were the same age. Anzu just didn't look seventeen by human terms.

"Rei can you tell me about all those charms in your hair," Anzu asked as she put her needles and threads away for later.

Rei fingered one of the three strands of hair that she had warped in thread as she thought about whether or not to tell Anzu about them. _'Couldn't hurt none.'_ "This first one I got was from a yōkai bird in another land across the sea."

Anzu's eyes went wide, "You've been across the seas?"

Rei grinned, "Yep, this feather came off the bird after it attacked me, I kept it was a trophy." She held the feather up that was attached to her hair by one of the threaded pieces of hair. "This one was from some merchant who tried to rob me. The next was from the was from a friend who passed on," Rei rubbing the smooth glossy surface of the purple glass piece.

"Oh I'm sorry," Anzu said quietly.

"Nah, it ain't a big deal, it happens." Rei patted her knee, "Although the best trophy is the from the neko yōkai's ribs a took after a ten day battle!"

"Ten days?" Anzu repeated, amazed. She looked at the rib bones that around the side of Rei's head. They were white from being out in the sun so much, and Anzu could be small cracks in the bones.

"Yeah! He was feisty, but I won in the end," Rei said proudly stroking the bones.

"Why do you were your trophies in your hair, though? Sesshōmaru-onii-sama keeps them on the wall in his room, my lord has his in his study, and father puts them in a chest."

"You've never meet anyone who wore their trophies before?" Rei asked a little shocked by this, everyone in her pack wore trophies somewhere on their person.

"Some of the lower-class yōkai wear them, but I've never seen a middle-class inu wear them," Anzu said looking at Rei, waiting for an answer.

Rei paused, sometimes she forgot that she had taken off her mokomoko back at the camp. It had been hot and she hadn't felt the need to wear it. _'Not much reason to tell her I'm daiyōkai-class,'_ Rei thought silently, Anzu was middle-class, telling her would seem like she was rubbing it in her face. "Huh, that's interesting. Most of my pack wears theirs."

"Really? It's so strange to see the differences in which we grew up," Anzu stated in thought. Rei nodded in agreement.

"Rei, it is Tōga. May I enter?" Came the Inutaisho's voice from behind the door.

"Ah! Yeah, sure," Rei said as Tōga rushed in. "What's wrong?"

Tōga's heavy gaze landed on Rei, he held her eyes as he walked over to where she sat on the ground. She was looking at him in confusion and he wanted anything more than to not have to bring her this news.

"Tōga-sama yer freaking me out," Rei said giving him a funny look.

"Forgive me," Tōga said taking in a deep breath, "your packs campsite was attacked."

**Well there you have it, another chapter with my favorite character! Well made up character! I know Sesshōmaru wasn't in it a whole lot but his time is coming don't you worry! ^-^**

**REVIEW Please**

**Inu-roses**


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